Rechargeable battery vending apparatus

Abstract

A battery recharging apparatus is specifically configured to enable a customer to exchange a discharged or partially discharged battery for a fully charged replacement. Operator-assisted and entirely automatic vending versions are disclosed. In all embodiments, a controller causes a multiple port charger to recharge one or more batteries electrically connected thereto, preferably using a time multiplexing scheme. In the operator-assisted embodiment, an attendant inputs information concerning the customer, the vehicle, or the battery, and accounting-related functions are carried out through an interface to an electric cash register or some other payment-related facility. In the automated alternative of the invention, the apparatus is entirely self-contained within an enclosure including an access panel or window through which a user may deposit a battery in turn for a fully charged unit. Alternatively, the user may simply purchase a new, fully charged battery or battery pack. In this automated version a control panel accepts customer related information such as vehicle number, battery number or license plate number, the control panel further including means to accept a payment, whether in cash or through a reader of a standard credit card or card dedicated to the use of the invention. The vending machine is preferably constructed in modular form such that additional customer access areas may be disposed around the carousel so as to service more than one individual at a time.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 
     
       1. An apparatus for recharging and dispensing batteries, comprising: means for physically receiving one or more rechargeable batteries from one or more customers in electrically unconnected form;   a plurality of battery recharging ports, each including means for making electrical contact to the terminals of one of the batteries received;   an input to receive electrical power;   a multiple port charger operative to route power from the input to at least one of the batteries through an associated charging port;   means to receive customer information and battery-related information;   a memory to store the customer information and battery-related information;   a controller connected to the multiple port charger, the memory, and the means to receive customer and battery-identification information, the controller being operative to perform the following functions: cause the multiple port charger to charge one or more of the batteries through its associated charging port,   store information in the memory relating to batteries received by, and provided, to the customers, and   output information relating to an amount due from a customer receiving a recharged battery.     
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, further including an interface connected to the controller configured for communication with an electronic cash register. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1, configured the controller being further operative to: receive condition information relating to a battery through the means for making electrical contact to the terminals of the battery, and   output information relating to an amount due from a customer, taking into account the condition information relating to a battery supplied by that customer.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3, the controller being further operative to cause the multiple port charger to recharge a particular battery using an algorithm chosen according to the results of an electrical test performed upon the battery. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 1, the controller and multiple port charger being further operative to charge multiple batteries, each at a different port, using a time-multiplexed recharging process. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1, further including an input to receive energy rate information, the controller being operative to cause the multiple port charger to charge a battery through its associated charging port in accordance with the rate information. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 configured for use with batteries having encoded identification information, the input to receive customer and battery-identification information including a decoder of the information. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a communications interface, the controller being further operative to exchange the customer and battery-identification information with a remotely located center. 
     
     
       9. A rechargeable battery vending machine, comprising: an enclosure;   a plurality of battery storage locations within the enclosure;   an access area on the enclosure including a window through which a user of the machine may deposit a discharged battery or receive a charged battery;   a battery handling mechanism within the enclosure operative to move a battery between the access area and a storage location;   an input to receive electrical power;   electrical battery contacting means to make electrical contact with a battery in a storage location;   a multiple port charger operative to route power from the input to at least one battery in storage through its associated electrical battery contacting means for the purpose of recharging the battery;   an operator input supported on the enclosure including payment receiving means;   a controller connected to the battery handling mechanism, the multiple port charger, and the operator input, the controller being operative to perform the following functions: keep track of batteries in storage,   cause a battery in a storage position to be recharged, and   deliver a charged battery to a customer, including a battery different than that received from the customer, through the access area in accordance with a payment received.     
     
     
       10. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, the controller being further operative to accept a battery from a customer through the access area. 
     
     
       11. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 10, the controller being further operative to perform an electrical test upon a battery received from a customer through the electrical battery contacting means and condition acceptance of the battery based upon the results of the test. 
     
     
       12. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 10, the controller being further operative in conjunction with the multiple port charger to recharge a particular battery using an algorithm chosen according to the results of an electrical test performed upon the battery. 
     
     
       13. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, the controller being further operative to credit a customer through the payment receiving means in accordance with energy remaining on a battery received from the customer. 
     
     
       14. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, further including a communications interface, the controller being further operative to exchange customer or battery related information with a remotely located center. 
     
     
       15. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, the operator control area including a display, the controller being further operative to cause the display of energy rates associated with electrical power available through the input. 
     
     
       16. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, the controller being further operative delay the recharging of a battery so as to take advantage of a lower energy rate. 
     
     
       17. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, the controller being further operative to provide a warning that few batteries are remaining in storage. 
     
     
       18. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, the multiple port charger being operative to recharge a plurality of batteries, each connected to one of the ports, by routing power to the batteries on a time-multiplexed basis. 
     
     
       19. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, adapted for use with batteries bearing identification encoding indicia, the machine further including a battery security encoder operative perceive and decode the identification indicia, the controller further being connected to the battery security encoder and accept a battery from a customer depending upon the decoded identification information. 
     
     
       20. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, the battery handling mechanism including a carousel including a plurality of storage locations, the controller being operative to rotate the carousel so as to align a storage location with the window. 
     
     
       21. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, the battery handling mechanism including: at least one battery storage magazine; and   a pick-and-place mechanism,   the controller being further operative to cause a battery to be transferred between the window and a position within the magazine.   
     
     
       22. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, adapted for use with one or more predetermined battery types, the machine rejecting non-conforming batteries. 
     
     
       23. The rechargeable battery vending machine of claim 9, the controller being further operative to provide a customer with a set of replacement batteries exhibiting compatible electrical characteristics. 
     
     
       24. The rechargeable battery vending apparatus of claim 23, further including a communications interface, the controller being further operative to exchange historical battery-related information with a remotely located center and use the information to provide a customer with a set of batteries having compatible electrical characteristics. 
     
     
       25. A rechargeable battery vending apparatus adapted for use in conjunction with batteries encoding identification information, the apparatus being connectable to a source of electrical energy and further connectable to a remote monitoring facility through a communications path, the rechargeable battery vending apparatus comprising: an enclosure including an access area through which a customer may deposit a discharged battery and receive a charged battery;   a customer control panel disposed on the enclosure, the panel including a display and means to receive a payment;   an input to receive power from the source of electrical energy;   a port for connection to the remote monitoring facility through the communications path;   a battery movement mechanism within the enclosure including a plurality of battery holding positions, each battery holding position including means for contacting to the electrical terminals of a battery held therein, the battery movement mechanism being operative to a bring a holding position into alignment with the access panel so that a customer may deposit a battery into a particular holding position or remove a battery therefrom;   a multiple-port charger adapted to receive power from the electrical input and selectively route the power to a battery in a holding position through the battery contacting means associated with that position;   a battery security encoder including an interface operative to receive battery-related information from a battery contained within a battery holding position; and   an operations controller connected to the customer control panel, the battery movement mechanism, the multiple-port charger and the battery security encoder, the controller being operative to perform the following functions: (a) receive customer-related information through the customer control panel,   (b) receive battery chargeability information through battery contacting means associated with the multiple-port charger,   (c) receive the battery-identification information from the battery security encoder,   (d) cause the acceptance of a customer-supplied battery conditioned upon: information relating to a customer,   battery chargeability, or   battery identification information,     (e) cause movement of the battery movement mechanism in order to align a battery holding position with the access area,   (f) cause the multiple-port charger to charge a battery in a holding position in accordance with a charging algorithm, and   (g) communicate with the remote monitoring facility through the communications path.